Fledgling
Page 40
Chapter Thirty Nine
“Day trip to the Cove,” Dustin slid his backpack on and ran a hand through his hair to straighten it, “I just have to drop some care packages off.”
It was only seven in the morning, and the two had just finished breakfast.
“Will you be back before work?” she wasn’t sure that she would be able to find the way herself, and she didn’t feel comfortable being around Evan alone. She had already put on the bar’s shirt, though she doubted that little ‘accident’ would happen again. The next time she had to change at that place, she would remember to lock the door.
“I’ll be back before then,” he tossed her something and she caught it; she was holding a plain, unassuming key, “In case you decide to go out, you’ll need that.”
He handed her the knife and her hands automatically closed around the handle. She studied it. This was the knife that had killed Chelsea, but yet she had no trouble holding it. The blade wasn’t malicious in itself, “Are you giving this to me?”
“Maybe someday,” he said, “But, for now, just borrow it. And don’t let yourself get killed.”
“No promises,” she quipped. Dustin laughed and shook his head in reply, disappearing into his room. He must have a portal there—or, Austin corrected herself, a door that leads to nowhere. She needed to decide what to call the things. Doors That Lead To Nowhere sounded cool, but it was a mouthful. And, she had learned, they aren’t always in the shape of doors.
Portals, then.
Satisfied with that, she went to her room and shut the door behind her, taking a nap. She woke up when sunlight, harsh but natural, hit her eyes, filling the room with its weightless presence. She dressed herself and went out for a walk, taking with her the tips she had earned last night. She found a nice New Age shop just a block away and was delighted to see that they carried a plethora of tea. She selected one that smelled calming and business like, bought it, and went back to the house—saying only nine words since she left the door in the first place.
She brewed the tea and took sips of it from one of Dustin’s coffee mugs, her hands fitting around the thick handle naturally. She had always liked this cup, even as a kid.
Dustin still wasn’t back, and she found herself staring into the darkening streets watching for him. She barely admitted it to herself, but she wanted him to come back soon. Her chest felt heavy with nervousness, asking herself when he’d be back.
The door opened behind her and she whirled around to see Dustin. She let out a sigh of relief.
“You’re late,” she frowned at him, sliding on her jacket. Dustin laughed, nodding.
“I said that I’d be back before we had to leave for work,” he checked his watch, “And if we hurried…”
He grabbed her wrist and they ran through the cold, winding streets, dodging crowds of humans wrapped in sweaters and scarves. Austin laughed breathlessly as she nearly tripped over a curb, Dustin’s hold keeping her steady. They did run, and they did make it there earlier than they were supposed to—about an hour and a half before opening time.
“Hey,” Evan greeted them, tossing Austin a rag, “Great to see you, thanks for coming in early, and help me wipe down these tables.”
“Okay,” she nodded, running the wet cloth over the wooden tables. They already looked clean, but she didn’t argue. She could feel Evan’s eyes on her as she cleaned.
“Sorry for barging in on you yesterday, but I had to be sure,” he said quietly with no remorse to be found, “There were whispers that Dustin hadn’t turned you, but I wasn’t convinced.”
“Is it going to be a problem?” she asked, curious for his answer.
“Not from me,” he shrugged, “It might be for Dustin. He used to be respected in this city. Chaos aren’t as friendly as he’s probably having you believe.”
“On a scale of one to terrible, how bad is it?” she cringed.
“About as bad as a black man walking into a white restaurant in the 1940’s,” Evan frowned, “I should know.”
“That doesn’t sound great,” she said. She moved onto another table.
“Do you still have that knife on you?” Evan asked her. She nodded, and he responded, “Good. You’ll need to use it, either against a chaos or one of the other races.”
“Will I ever need to use it against you?” she asked him.
He answered right away, but not too quickly for it to be a lie, “No, Austin. I’m on Dustin’s side, and I am almost positive that means we’re allies, if not friends.”
“Friends would be nice,” she said.
“Good.”